Nissan Advice

Nissan offers a capped-price servicing program for all of its current models. According to the Japanese brand, as of January 1, 2025, Nissan Flat Price Service gives you the confidence of knowing that your vehicle is being serviced by "Nissan-trained technicians using only Nissan Genuine Parts". Nissan's capped-price servicing program covers its new vehicles for a total of five years, no matter if it's a Juke small SUV, Navara ute or V8 petrol Patrol 4WD. The costs change depending on the model, with electric vehicles typically the most affordable to own and run. The service intervals are dictated by model, too. The worst Nissans to own from a maintenance perspective are the Z sports car and Qashqai e-Power, X-Trail, Pathfinder and Patrol SUVs, with servicing needed every 12 months or 10,000km. The best are the Juke, Leaf EV and Navara, with maintenance every 12 months or 20,000km - very tradie-friendly, then. Check out the table below for your model's specific service intervals. Nissan is leading from the front, offering a 10-year/300,000-kilometre warranty. MG and Mitsubishi also offer decade-long terms, with the latter's also conditional on the vehicle being serviced at an authorised dealership. Additionally, Nissan includes a one-year roadside assist plan at the time of purchase. See the table below for the average cost per service for each model in the Nissan range, plus the service intervals applicable to each of them.

The most economical car argument is still a valid one, despite the fact that oil prices have stabilised around the world.

What is the cheapest ute in Australia? At the time of publication the cheapest ute in Australia is the Toyota HiLux Workmate 4x2. A key reason for the HiLux’s sustained success is Toyota’s decision to ensure every end of the market is covered, from the humble Workmate to the plush Rogue and dynamic GR-Sport. The Workmate 4x2 starts at just $26,475 (plus on-road costs), retaining its title as cheapest new ute Australia despite the influx of new cheaper offerings from China and India in recent years.  As the legend goes, utes were originally intended to be a vehicle to take farmers to church on Sunday and the market on Monday. Therefore, they were designed to be an affordable, working class vehicle that appealed to a limited audience. Fast forward nearly 100 years and the ute has become a defining feature of Australian automotive society and culture. The ute is now no longer just going to the church and the market, it drives people to building sites, office blocks, the beach, the motocross track, the local shopping centre and just about anywhere else a modern car goes. As the ute has become ubiquitous it has evolved into many different forms and become increasingly expensive. The popular Ford Ranger Raptor starts at more than $90,000, while the new breed of locally-converted American ‘pick-ups’ can cost more than six-figures, with the Ram 3500 Laramie a whopping $177,950. But what if you’re still after an affordable ute that won’t break the bank? Well, we’ve got you covered. In this article you’ll find a list of the cheapest utes Australia has to offer at this moment in time (December 2024). While the market has shifted more upmarket in recent years, the good news for Australian buyers is there are still plenty of affordable utes available. As the Toyota HiLux Workmate proves, these aren’t from just newer brands like GWM, Mahindra and LDV. Instead, (if you don’t need 4x4) you can get into an Isuzu, Nissan, Mazda or Ford for under $40K. Beyond the usual factors you consider when buying a new ute - price, payload, towing capacity, etc - one of the key considerations when looking for a budget ute is reliability and future ownership credentials.  For example, the Tata Xenon was the cheapest ute Australia offered a few years ago, starting at just $19,990. However, the brand did not last long and exited the Australian market, which leaves owners with an uncertain future. All the brands on our list below are now firmly established in the local market, so should not suffer a similar fate to Tata, but it still pays to consider the company you’re buying from and what reputation it has for reliability and ownership in the ute sector.   The HiLux was the best-selling ute (and one of the most popular new models, period) in Australia for a very long time and the Workmate has a lot to do with that. It may be powered by a humble 122kW/245Nm 2.7-litre turbo-diesel, have a single cab chassis and only be 4x2, but for buyers looking for a cheap, hard-working ute it ticks all the right boxes - it can tow up to 2500kg and has a payload of up to 1145kg.  While Toyota may have a diverse HiLux range now, it has never forgotten the need to cater to the budget end of the segment, even in the face of the arrival of GWM, Mahindra and Tata with some very cheap utes in recent years. But while some have come and gone, the Workmate has remained. The D-Max is one of Australia’s favourite utes, typically finishing behind only the Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux in the sales race. A big part of that popularity is its affordability, which is led by the entry-grade SX Single Cab.  It’s powered by a 110kW/350Nm 1.9-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel paired with a six-speed manual transmission. While it has a small engine, it has a braked towing capacity of 2800kg and a payload capacity of 1400kg (without a tray), so it can still work hard. You’ll be noticing the theme here is single cab chassis models, because the bed adds to the cost and bumps them out of the most economical ute discussion. The Navara SL is another example of this, taking a no-frills approach and only offering the important elements. That includes a 2.3-litre twin-turbo diesel good for 120kW/403Nm and paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. This is enough to give the Navara SL a 3500kg braked towing capacity, which is on par with more expensive 4x4 models, and also a payload of 1350kg. The Chinese brand has made its mark with its affordable range of Cannon utes, which begins with this cab chassis option. It has the same 120kW/400Nm 2.0-litre turbo-diesel as the rest of the range but misses out on the four-wheel drive. That gives it enough to tow up to 3000kg and the payload is rated at 1050kg. What it does have over the previous utes on this list is a back seat, with a dual cab body and it also gets the aluminium tray out the back included in the price. It also gets some other nice touches not common at this price point, such as an eight-speed automatic transmission and alloy wheels.  The Indian brand has been in Australia longer than most people probably remember, first arriving back in 2007. The Pikup has been its staple since then and after the cut-price S6+ and S10 models laid the foundation, this newer S11 has arrived to carry on the legacy of affordable utes from Mahindra. While it’s the most expensive of the five on this list, it’s the only 4x4 and the only dual cab of its kind for under $40K. Powered by a 103kW/320Nm 2.2-litre turbo-diesel the Pikup S11 can tow up to 2500kg and has a 1035kg payload.

What is the fastest P-plate legal car in Australia? There’s no hard and fast winner when it comes to what is the fastest legal p-plate car, as each state has differing rules about what is allowed.

If you want to get your hands on a car that was never sold new in Australia by the manufacturer, there is only one way to get it: you have to import it.

What is the average width of a car? The average width of a car is 1.94 metres. That figure comes from averaging the width of popular vehicle types spanning the Australian new car market. The average width of a small/compact SUV is about 1800mm, the average width of a medium SUV is about 1840mm, the average width of a large SUV is about 1860mm, the average width of an upper large SUV is about 1980mm, the average width of a ute is about 1870mm, and the average width of a US pick-up is about 2300mm. One of the most crucial factors you must take into account when buying a car is whether it will fit in the allocated place in which you plan to park it when it’s not being used – whether that be a resident-only car park, your driveway, garage, car port, etc. And, of course, a vehicle’s width is part of this. So, how wide are cars? Whether you’re buying a hatchback, a sedan, a wagon or a full-size US pick-up, you must know the dimensions of your potential purchase in order to ensure you’re able to safely house it at your home. Car widths differ depending on the vehicle type, for instance a Hyundai i30 (1795mm) is not anywhere near as wide as a Ram 1500 pick-up (2465mm). Note: for the purposes of this yarn, we’re focussing on commercially available mainstream passenger vehicles. So, what is the average width of a car? As the old saying goes: how long’s a piece of string? Read on. The width of different vehicle models within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups, etc – does not vary as greatly as length may. By its very nature, a motor car has to accommodate at least two seated people across its width. How much do vehicles differ? Not a whole lot, really. Models that occupy the same section of the market will be within 150mm of each other in terms of width. A small urban car, perhaps well suited to a couple or a couple and their labradoodle, will need less people- and cargo-space than a gargantuan, bush-based, horse-trailer-towing US pick-up that regularly carries five people (and two dogs in the tub). So, it’s logical the city runabout vehicle will take up less physical space – and so offer less room – than something like an outback load-lugger. But generally speaking, cars within the same realm – hatchbacks, sedans, wagons, SUVs, utes, pick-ups – will have similar measurements. And remember, a carmaker’s listed vehicle specifications will often include two width measurements: without the wing mirrors extended (which we will use throughout this yarn), and with the wing mirrors extended. Of course there is, and which one you prefer – wider or narrower – mostly boils down to your lifestyle and specific vehicular needs. The main advantage of having a narrow(er) car (hatchback, etc) is its ease of parking in urban areas. For your reference, the minimum dimensions of a small car parking space in Australia (as per the Australian Standard AS 2890) is listed as 2.3 metres wide by 5.0m long. So, there’s that… The main advantage of having a wider car (wagon, van, ute) is the fact that its extra width translates into more interior room and cargo space, meaning (hopefully) more comfort and greater people- and/or cargo-carrying ability. How much do car widths differ by within the same category? Well, I reckon there’s about a maximum 150mm difference between the narrowest and widest in each vehicle type. Reckon I’m incorrect? Good for you. Feel free to push back in the comments section. In Australia we use the metric system of measurement. In this feature, we’ll refer to a car width in millimetres, which is a standard specification measurement in the vehicular world, rather than listing a car width in metres or an average car width in cm or, god forbid, feet. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) defines selected vehicle types on their footprint (defined as length - mm x width - mm, rounded). This is a more considered way of calculating how much space a vehicle occupies, rather than merely thinking about only its width or length. First up, micro, light or small cars* – we’re talking about vehicles such as Kia Picanto, Suzuki Ignis, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai Kona and the like. (* Micro: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint < 6300mm”; Light: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 6301-7500mm”; or Small: “Hatch, sedan or wagon with a footprint range 7501-8300mm”, according to the FCAI.) The narrow Picanto is listed as “from 1595mm” across, according to our dimension experts here at carsguide.com.au. The wide-for-a-small-car VW Polo is listed as having a width “from 1751mm”, by the CG mob. CarsGuide has listed the Subaru Impreza width as “from 1775mm” wide, and the Ford Focus is listed as “from 1825mm" wide. The average width of a small SUV (with a length - mm x width - mm less than 8100mm) in this part of the vehicular market, according to CarsGuide measurement experts, falls somewhere between 1760mm wide (Kia Stonic) and 1819mm wide (Volkswagen T-Roc). Let’s jump to medium SUVs – (with a FCAI-defined footprint of 8101mm-8800mm) – which includes vehicles such as Kia Sportage, Mazda CX-5, Mitsubishi Outlander, Toyota RAV4, Nissan X-Trail, Volkswagen Tiguan, etc. These vehicles are referred to as “medium” or “mid-size” and may have five or seven seats. The average width of a medium SUV falls somewhere between 1800mm (Mitsubishi Outlander, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1883mm wide (Ford Escape, as listed by CarsGuide). Large SUVs can carry up to seven people; upper large SUVs are able to carry up to eight passengers. The average width of a large SUV (with an FCAI-listed footprint of between 8801mm and 9800mm) such as Toyota Prado, Land Rover Discovery and their ilk, falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Pajero Sport, as noted by CarsGuide) and 2008mm (Land Rover Defender, as noted by CarsGuide). Upper large SUVs have a FCAI-defined footprint bigger than 9801mm. Think 300 Series LandCruiser (“from 1970mm wide”), Hyundai Palisade (“from 1975mm wide”), and Nissan Patrol (“from 1995mm” wide). Utes are classified as light trucks, which are “vehicles designed principally for commercial but may include designs intended for non-commercial applications." They’re available as two-wheel drive (4x2) or four-wheel drive (4x4) vehicles, and as a cab chassis or with a tub at the rear. These vehicles can legally carry up to five people in the cabin, depending on the body type, and have a FCAI-defined footprint of between 9001mm and 9501mm. The average width of a ute available in Australia falls somewhere between 1815mm (Mitsubishi Triton, as listed by CarsGuide) and 1954mm (VW Amarok, as listed by CarsGuide). Pick-ups are like utes on steroids and the availability of these US 'trucks' is no longer restricted to Australia's grey imports market. Pick-ups – we’re talking about the likes of the Ram 1500, the Ram 2500, the Chevrolet Silverado, the Ford F-150, etc – are now available via mainstream distributors.  The average width of these vehicles falls somewhere between 2063mm wide (Chevrolet Silverado, as listed by CarsGuide) and 2630mm wide (Ram 3500, as listed by CarsGuide). If you’re reading this yarn on the CarsGuide website – and not on some dodgy website that’s pilfered our content and is pretending it’s their own – then look up at the menu bar at the top of the page and tap ‘Pricing and Specs’. That will take you, yes, to the ‘Pricing and Specs’ section.  Also, feel free to visit the appropriate car-maker’s website and download any specification sheets that are relevant to your particular choice of vehicle. Make sure you look at the correct make-model-variant details.

When you’re buying a car there are numerous factors to take into account but perhaps the most important question you have to ask yourself before buying your new or second-hand vehicle is: how long is it?

Deciding on the best value car in Australia is not a straightforward task. Among other things, it depends on A: How an individual buyer values different elements, and: B: What properties and skill-sets are most important to a particular type of car.

Going “off-road” or “off-roading” are oft-repeated terms nowadays, but what exactly does off-road mean? 

Q: What is braked towing capacity, and what does braked towing capacity mean in the real world? A: Braked towing capacity is the upper limit that your vehicle can tow without breaching safety, mechanical, legal or insurance boundaries. As the name suggests, it relies on the towed load (trailer, caravan, boat-trailer) having its own brakes so that the combination is not reliant solely on the tow-vehicle’s brakes to slow or stop. This figure is the absolute upper limit of what a particular make and model can legally tow. Braked vs unbraked towing is an important distinction as the limits for either are very different. Unbraked towing capacity which – again as the name suggests – is how heavy a load you can tow on a trailer without its own brakes (therefore relying on the towing vehicle for all slowing and stopping duties). It’s nearly always a lot lower than the braked limit. It’s important to understand braked towing capacity and not exceed it, for a variety of reasons, starting with staying within the law. If you exceed the towing vehicle’s braked towing limit, you’ll be unroadworthy and you could be fined even if there’s no incident. This also has insurance ramifications, and your insurer might walk away from you in the case of a crash involving a car that was towing too heavy a load. You’ll also void your car’s warranty by exceeding this limit as well as placing stresses and strains on the vehicle it was never designed to cope with. Brakes, clutches, tyres, transmissions and engines can all suffer from too much load on them. The crucial measurement in any assessment of braked towing limit is the mass of the trailer and whatever is loaded on it. This mass is what the police will measure if they think you’re over the limit. You can measure this mass yourself with a public weighbridge. Many councils now have weighbridges at recycling stations and, for a small fee, you can weigh your trailer either empty or loaded. By weighing the trailer empty, you’ll then have a reference number for how much you can load on to it before it exceeds the car’s towing limit. The other option is to use a set of towball scales that measure the amount of weight you’re putting on the car’s towbar, and there are now wireless, Bluetooth trailer scales that are placed under the wheels and the total mass added up for you. There are also plenty of online caravan weight calculator pages where you input all your known data and the website works out if your car is big enough for the job or whether you’re overloaded in any department. Just be sure to search for something like 'vehicle towing capacity calculator Australia' to ensure you find one that’s relevant to our local laws and limits. Terms you’ll find handy to know for this are Aggregate Trailer Mass (ATM) which is the total mass of the trailer when carrying the maximum load that the manufacturer recommends for that trailer or caravan. This is measured with the trailer disconnected from the towing vehicle and resting on its jockey wheel. This figure is determined by the trailer’s manufacturer and should never be exceeded. The other term you need to know is Gross Trailer Mass (GTM) which is the mass of the trailer when it’s hitched to your tow vehicle (and some of the mass is distributed through the tow-ball into the tow-car). Both these numbers are calculated by the trailer maker and are non-negotiable. There’s also a big difference between the allowable gross trailer weight braked and unbraked. That’s true of the tow-car, too, manufacturers have very different limits on towing not braked and with brakes. The empty trailer’s mass is what’s known as its tare mass. The difference between this number and the ATM for your trailer is the trailer’s payload capacity. At the moment in most Australian states and territories, there’s no simple, legal method of increasing a car’s towing capacity or a trailer’s loaded capacity. The trailer manufacturer will have their own method of how to measure capacity, just as carmakers have their own formulas for calculating maximum towing capacity. The towing vehicle’s braked towing limit, then, is not something you need to measure or calculate yourself. The number has already been determined by the vehicle’s manufacturer based on engineering and is not negotiable. You’ll find this info in the owner’s handbook. Neither is there an aftermarket package that can lift your braked towing limit. If you need to tow heavier loads, you need a bigger, heavier car that can do so. What is towing capacity in the handbook is the only number the authorities will be concerned with. Trailer brakes themselves come in two main forms. The simplest is the mechanical brake which uses the weight of the trailer to actuate the brakes via a mechanical or hydraulic link. As the tow-vehicle slows, the trailer tries to maintain its speed (basic physics at work) and the mechanical linkages are brought into play by the resulting force. Electric brakes are more complex but a more refined, sophisticated and efficient solution. The tow car is fitted with a sensor that, when it detects the brake pedal is pushed, sends an electrical signal back to the trailer which then applies the trailer’s brakes. You can fine-tune the amount of braking the trailer contributes on the run, making this a better system. To help put all this into context, here’s a quick run down of the typical braked and unbraked towing limits of popular types of vehicle: Dual-cab ute (Toyota HiLux 4X4): 3500kg braked, 750kg unbraked. 4X4 wagon (Nissan Patrol): 3500kg braked, 750kg unbraked. Large SUV (Hyundai Palisade): 2200kg braked, 750kg unbraked Medium SUV (Mazda CX5): 1800kg braked, 750kg unbraked Be aware, however, that even within specific model ranges, details such as whether a vehicle is two- or four-wheel drive, and whether it’s petrol or diesel powered can also have an effect on those mandatory limits. Electric and hybrid cars often have much lower towing limits, too. So check each car out individually before making any decisions.